BUDGET brand Tune Hotels has entered India with the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad this month, tweaking its product to suit the market such as the introduction of family rooms.

Annexed to the new 4D Square Mall in Motera, the 100-room property offers family rooms to accommodate four to six people, as well as standard single and double rooms, in a bid to tap India’s wedding segment.

Tune Hotels’ group CEO, Mark Lankester, said: “In addition to larger room varieties, we have also made other adjustments in our offerings to serve our Indian guests better, including more expansive food and beverage availability within the hotel.

“With a view to the huge wedding market in India, the hotel is able to cater to the needs for major banquet facilities for that total wedding experience. In fact, we’ve taken bookings for our very first wedding entourage already!”

Tune Hotels has entered into a 60-40 joint venture with Apodis Hospitality to open at least 20 hotels in India (TTG Asiae-Daily, February 25, 2013). It is looking to develop properties in major destinations, Tier Two and Tier Three cities, as well as the tourist triangle of Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi.

“The Tune Hotel Ahmedabad aims to serve both domestic travellers and visitors from abroad, especially members of the large non-resident Indian community from Gujarat settled in places like the US, Britain and the Gulf, who may already have had prior knowledge of the brand in the five countries we are already present in,” explained Lankester. The company intends to operate five to six hotels in Gujarat within the next three years.

To mark the opening of Tune Hotel Ahmedabad, room rates will start at Rs599 (US$11) when booked on Tune Hotels’ website until May 10, for the period of May 15 to September 30.